


still here (the ghost of you)

by sunglaze



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Canon Compliant, Idols, M/M, Taebin - Freeform, ghosting, head in hands i love taebin, idk how to tag sorry, saw the credits for ghosting n thought i have to write a taebin fic abt this, trust line
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:29:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27209662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunglaze/pseuds/sunglaze
Summary: Taehyun asks Soobin to help him move on.(Or, the story of how Taehyun and Soobin wrote Ghosting.)
Relationships: Choi Soobin/Kang Taehyun
Comments: 1
Kudos: 82





	still here (the ghost of you)

**Author's Note:**

> hi.. hey...
> 
> comeback day aaaaa!!
> 
> and to celebrate here is taebin writing ghosting!
> 
> honestly i've been planning this since the album credits were released?#>@# i was just literally waiting for the lyrics  
> and the taebin tag deserves more love!!
> 
> credits to @moacokr on twt for the english translation of the lyrics to ghosting :D go follow her best translator ever
> 
> enjoy!

“How am I supposed to help you move on, Taehyun?”

The boy doesn’t answer. Instead, he continues to pull Soobin by his arm and navigates their way around the building. They casually greet the staff that they pass by every now and then.

“And move on from what?”

They find themselves in front of the lounge. Taehyun finally releases Soobin’s arm out of his hold.

Taehyun glances at Soobin, “From the person I like.” He pushes the door open and sits down on one of the chairs.

Soobin feels his heart jump, “You like someone?” He sits in front of Taehyun with the mahogany table between them.

“ _Liked_. Soon, hopefully.” Taehyun lays open the pen and notebook that he brought with them. The notebook is leather-bound, with some of the edges a bit worn down. The spine is a bit expanded – it looks like Taehyun has been using the notebook for years now.

“Who –“ Soobin pauses, “Nevermind, you don’t need to tell me.”

Taehyun smiles gratefully at the older male.

“How exactly am I supposed to help you?”

Taehyun turns the notebook over to him. Soobin scans through the pages; it’s full of incomplete lyrics written in messy handwriting. They give the image of a rushed scribbling as if the lyrics came to mind at the most random moment.

“By writing a song.” Taehyun uncaps the pen.

Soobin nods, “Where do we start?”

Taehyun turns to a clean page, “Hyung, have you ever felt like you don’t know where to stand when it comes to your relationship with someone?”

“Yeah,” Soobin breathes (a bit too deeply – his heart feels like it’s lodged in his throat), “I’ve felt that.”

“Have you ever been left in the air by someone? That you don’t know what to do – if you should talk to them, or if it’s already all over.”

“Well, it’s more likely for me to be the person who leaves someone hanging,” Soobin laughs.

Taehyun chuckles as he shakes his head, “Of course.”

He continues, “That’s kind of how I feel right now.”

“So, you mean – someone ghosted you?”

“I guess you could put it that way.”

“And you like that person?”

“Yeah.”

This time, Soobin’s heart drops. Taehyun likes someone, and that someone left him hanging, leaving him confused and lost. That _someone_ obviously isn’t Soobin. They’ve been communicating far too often for any of their interactions to fit into Taehyun’s story. And even if Soobin is the type to ghost everyone, he doubts that he’d ever be able to do that to Taehyun. Not in a million years.

Taehyun wouldn’t like Soobin, of course. What was Soobin thinking? Soobin mentally taunts himself. He wants to grimace at himself physically, but he doesn’t want the boy in front of him to misunderstand any of his reactions.

“Well –“ Soobin slightly stumbles over his words, “Forget that person, whoever they are. They’re missing out.”

Taehyun laughs heartily, “You think so, hyung?”

Soobin nods, “Let’s write.”

The two boys mull over the concept of the song for a while, exchanging ideas and humming simple rhythms. They scribble down short phrases on the notebook and cross out a couple of lines they found a bit too cliché.

“How about,” Taehyun starts, “Let’s get these lyrics – _you who disappeared_ – repeat it a couple times, and put it along with this one line.”

Taehyun uses the pen to draw lines all over the page, connecting the lyrics to each other and scratching off some unnecessary words. Soobin reads over Taehyun’s work, and once he’s deemed them good enough, he nods in agreement.

“Sometimes I ask the air, what am I to you...” Soobin mutters under his breath.

“That’s actually good,” Taehyun writes down Soobin’s words, “I think you know how I feel, hyung.”

_I think I do._

“Do you like someone too, Soobin-hyung?” Taehyun teases him.

_Yeah, for quite a while now._

Soobin stays unmoving, staring at the pen in Taehyun’s hands. The younger male lightly hits the other end of the pen against Soobin’s forehead, startling him out of his thoughts.

“Huh?”

Taehyun laughs, “Was just kidding, hyung.”

He writes down a couple of lines before turning the notebook over to Soobin.

“Is this any good?”

Soobin reads the lyrics. It’s only him and Taehyun in the room, but for some reason, Soobin feels like he’s thirdwheeling. It feels as if there’s a glass barrier separating the two of them – one on side is Soobin, and on the opposite side is Taehyun and his feelings. Watching the younger write down those lyrics makes Soobin feel like he’s intruding something – something that’s very personal and private to Taehyun. There’s some sort of disconnect that makes Soobin feel like he’s only watching this current lyric-writing session from afar. Yet, Taehyun lets Soobin observe everything clearly.

“Hyung?”

“Yeah, I think they’re good. Matches with the rest of the song.”

Or maybe it has to do with the fact that Soobin has just indirectly received confirmation that Taehyun definitely does _not_ like him. And he’s watching the boy he likes talk about his _feelings_ for someone that’s not him. Soobin shouldn’t be here. He shouldn’t be helping Taehyun move on from someone he doesn’t even know the name of.

Not when he’s in love with Taehyun.

Call him selfish, but Soobin is starting to hate this moment as every minute drags on. Taehyun asked him personally, yes, but Soobin wishes that the boy had at least some hint of what Soobin feels for him. Because he’s not really having fun writing a love song with Taehyun about _someone else._

It just goes to show that Taehyun is definitely oblivious. More so than what Soobin had presumed.

Soobin takes the pen from Taehyun just as he’s about to write. Taehyun looks surpised, but he lets Soobin turn over the notebook and write in a rush.

When Soobin is done, Taehyun takes the notebook and reads the lyrics aloud.

“ _I can’t believe it, from my world you already logout, I know now._ You’re on a roll today, hyung.” Taehyun puts the notebook on the table and leans over to write.

“Taehyun,”

The said boy looks up, “Hm?”

“Do you think you ever stood a chance with that person?”

Taehyun continues to scribble across the page.

“I used to. But I think it’s clear now,” He answers.

“Then,” Soobin continues, “If the roles were reversed and there’s someone who likes you instead, would you give them a chance?”

_Would you give me a chance?_

Taehyun doesn’t answer. He pushes the notebook to Soobin.

On the right side of the page, it reads,

_To be honest, I know too_

_That no response is also a response_

_I can’t get used to being alone._

Maybe Soobin shouldn’t have asked that to Taehyun. Maybe he shouldn’t have agreed to writing this song with him.

He takes the pen from the table and writes his own lyrics under Taehyun’s neat handwriting.

Maybe the past hour has made some things clearer for Soobin, but nothing seems to have changed for him. At least, in terms of what he feels for Taehyun. But maybe, also maybe, he should just let go of those feelings. After all, it’s been over a year and he’s still headed nowhere.

_Like us in the picture, we must go back_

_But I’m still here,_

_But I’m still here,_

It seems like it’s not only Taehyun who’s trying to move on.

“We should just repeat this verse, for the last chorus.”

Soobin nods. Taehyun copies the words onto the lower half of the right page. Once he’s done, he snaps the leather-bound notebook closed and places it on the table along with the pen. He stretches his limbs – reaching his arms upwards, bending left and right.

“I’ll ask the producers to read through it,” Taehyun drops his arms, “Thank you, hyung.”

Taehyun takes the notebook and pen with him and heads to the door.

“Taehyun,” Soobin calls out. The younger male pauses, his back facing Soobin. “Did that help you move on, even in the slightest bit?”

Taehyun looks behind and smiles at Soobin, “It did. Thanks again, really.”

He continues to make his way to the door. Soobin watches Taehyun’s back as he retreats.

“Oh,” Taehyun turns around again, “To answer your question earlier, I think I’d give that person a chance, hyung.”

Soobin feels his chest tighten, just a little bit.

As he hears the door shut softly, something blooms in Soobin’s chest. Relief, curiosity, hope – whatever it might be. Maybe he assumed too many things tonight. Maybe only one of them had to move on for this night.

Because there’s only so much more that can happen in the days to follow.

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are appreciated! ((feedback rly motivates me))
> 
> find me on twt! @minizode


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